"Valar Morghulis" is the name of the tenth and last episode of the second season of the HBOmedieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones. It is the sixth episode of the season to have been written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, and is directed by Alan Taylor, his fourth episode of the season. It is 70 minutes long[1] and first aired on 3 June 2012.

Meanwhile, a scarred Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) wakes from the injuries that he received from the attempt on his life during the battle. With the arrival of Lord Tywin, he has been removed from the position of Hand of the King and is left powerless and without allies, except for his squire, Podrick Payne (Daniel Portman). He is consoled by his concubine, Shae (Sibel Kekilli), who remains loyal and tries to convince Tyrion to leave King's Landing for Pentos with her. Lord Varys informs Tyrion that the Queen was behind the attempt on his life and says that he knows Tyrion to have been the true hero of the battle, even though he will receive no official credit. Despite his fall from power, Tyrion refuses to leave King's Landing, saying that he has finally found a role he both excels at and enjoys.

At Dragonstone

In a rage over his unexpected defeat at the Battle of Blackwater, Lord Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane) blames his Red Priestess Melisandre (Carice van Houten) for goading him into war with promises of victory and attempts to strangle her. He relents only after Melisandre makes him truly comprehend his involvement in the death of his brother Lord Renly Baratheon. After informing Stannis that he will betray all that he has known in his quest to be King, Melisandre leads Stannis over to a burning bowl of coal and has them together observe the dancing fire. As Stannis watches the flames, he seems to be struck by divine visions from the Lord of Light.

In the Westerlands

King Robb Stark (Richard Madden) confides to his mother, Catelyn, (Michelle Fairley) that he is in love with Lady Talisa (Oona Chaplin) and will not proceed with the arranged marriage to one of Lord Walder Frey's daughters. Despite Catelyn's warning that breaking his oath with Lord Frey is reckless, Robb marries Talisa in private. Meanwhile, Catelyn's knight Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) continues in her mission to escort the prisoner Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) to King's Landing, in exchange for Sansa and Arya Stark. They happen upon the corpses of three women lynched by Stark patrolmen, who soon arrive and discover that Brienne's prisoner is the wanted Kingslayer himself. Brienne slays them after they are discovered, avenging the three women, whom Brienne then buries. When Jaime expresses his surprise, Brienne reminds him that she does not serve House Stark - she serves Lady Catelyn.

At Winterfell

With Winterfell under siege and facing defeat, Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) rejects the advice of Maester Luwin (Donald Sumpter) to abandon the castle and flee to the Night's Watch, and decides to fight to the death with his men. However, during a rallying speech, Theon is knocked unconscious by Dagmer (Ralph Ineson) and betrayed by his own men, who drag him off. Luwin, in an attempt to save Theon, is stabbed by Dagmer. Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) and his party emerge from hiding to find Winterfell sacked and Luwin dying in the Godswood, where he declares his loyalty and love for the Starks before having Osha (Natalia Tena) perform a mercy killing on him, out of sight of Bran and Rickon. Bran and his group then escape the remains of Winterfell, bound for the Wall.

At the Outskirts of Harrenhal

Arya Stark (Maisie Williams), along with her companions Gendry (Joe Dempsie) and Hot Pie (Ben Hawkley), are fleeing from Harrenhal after their escape. They are surprised by the sudden appearance of the mysterious assassin Jaqen H'ghar (Tom Wlaschiha), who helped them escape. Jaqen offers to take Arya with him to Braavos to train her in his abilities, and although tempted, Arya declines, intending to reunite with her family. Before departing, Jaqen hands Arya a special coin and the password "valar morghulis", which Arya may use to call him if she meets anyone fromBraavos. Before departing, Jaqen turns to reveal he has changed his face, an ability of the "faceless men" he mentions to Arya.

Across the Narrow Sea

Ser Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) escorts Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) to the House of the Undying, a stronghold where the warlock Pyat Pree (Ian Hanmore) has her dragons held captive. The warlock's magical illusions squickly leave Jorah stranded outside, while Daenerys wanders about in the stronghold, at the mercy of the warlock's magic. Daenerys is struck with a vision of her entering a ruined version of the Red Keep's Great Hall in King's Landing while either snow or ash falls through the empty rafters. She is about to touch the Iron Throne, but she hears her dragons crying and continues. She then finds herself north of the wall, near Castle Black's gate into the Haunted Forest. She enters a Dothraki tent where she encounters her deceased husband Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa) and their stillborn son Rhaego, both apparently alive and well. Though Drogo is elated to see his love and is unsure which of them is dreaming, Daenerys again leaves when she hears her dragons. She finds herself in an antechamber with her captive dragons chained to a pedestal. Pyat Pree appears and uses his magic to conjure chains and bind Daenerys with them. He explains that with the return of the dragons, magic itself has returned as well, which is why the warlocks kidnapped her dragons and intend to keep her prisoner as well: "[Our magic] is strongest in their presence," he says, "and they are strongest in yours." Daenerys then orders her dragons to breathe fire, killing Pyat Pree but leaving her unscathed. The chains then dissolve.

After escaping the House of the Undying, Daenerys, with her dragons, her remaining Dothraki contingent and Ser Jorah, finds Xaro (Nonso Anozie), asleep in bed with Doreah (Roxanne McKee), whom she now realizes had betrayed her, and takes them prisoner. Opening Xaro's vault, they find it empty, with Xaro's boasts of extreme wealth having been lies. Despite Xaro's and Doreah's pleas, Daenerys orders her followers to seal them in Xaro's vault. Daenerys proceeds to have her horde loot as much as they can from Xaro's house in order to buy a ship.

Beyond the Wall

Night's Watch Ranger Qhorin Halfhand (Simon Armstrong), still prisoner of the wildlings, provokes a fight with fellow prisoner Jon Snow (Kit Harington), with the apparent goal of convincing the wildlings that Jon has defected. Qhorin goads Jon into running him through by insulting the memories of his mother and of Eddard Stark. After Qhorin is killed, the wildlings free a stunned Jon and introduce him to their massive wildling force, promising him a meeting with their King-Beyond-the-Wall, former Night's Watch Ranger Mance Rayder.

Meanwhile, while on duty, wildlingsmenSam (John Bradley), Grenn (Mark Stanley), and Edd (Ben Crompton) overhear a three-note horn call, which they recognize as a call that signifies White Walkers have been spotted. The others flee, leaving Sam behind. He is quickly surrounded by Wights (mutilated undead warriors raised from the remains of both wildlings and men of the Night's Watch) and a fearsome White Walker riding an undead horse. Apparently ignored by them, Sam (now isolated from his allies) watches in horror as the immense army of King-Beyond-the-Wall and Wights marches onward towards the Night's Watch encampment, shouting and screeching as the episode ends.